Chet Zerlin
Jedi Trainee
Offline
I thought I would reach out to the many experienced Healey owners here for some advice/debate/conversation about my plans for my Healey (1959 100-6 BN6).
Currently it is a good driver with no apparent rust and a 20+ year old lacquer paint job that is starting to show cracks and blemishes. Body panels are all in very good shape (boot and bonnet are aligned with good gaps - doors both have gaps at the bottom and need some adjustment). Both doors close with a solid "thunk". Transmission was recently overhauled by Healey Surgeons and works perfectly (as does the overdrive). Engine compression is fine, a little hard to start but when it warms up will restart almost instantly when starter button is pushed. Engine number and body number match. Transmission is from a later car but is the correct side shifter and not a center unit. Interior (vinyl not leather) is in very good shape with some wear showing on the sides of the seats. Carpet is still in good shape. Other interior panels will need a little stronger glue to tighten up and put back down but otherwise in good shape.
So here's the dilemma. It's really time for me to make a decision on a repaint. I can (option 1) remove the interior and other bits and pieces and repaint. Or....( option 2) I can dive much, much deeper into it, and do a true body off restoration. Certainly option 1 is easier and less expensive and the results would be visually pleasing from the outside. But option 2 would (hopefully) leave me with a true concours car (at least that's the plan!).
At issue here is the resulting cost vs. value at the end of either process as well as the difference in the degree of difficulty between those two options. Having never done a body off restoration I have no idea what costs I am exposing myself to with this undertaking. That said what is the "true" value of a concours 1959 100-6 BN6? I can look at the different price "guides" like Hagerty all day but I'm not sure how those apply to the real world. I don't want to be too far upside down at the end of the process but I do recognize that I should not go into this with profit as motivation (and I certainly don't have any plans to sell this car regardless of which option I choose.)
So there you are..... What would you do if you were me?
All advice and comments are welcomed!
Chet
Currently it is a good driver with no apparent rust and a 20+ year old lacquer paint job that is starting to show cracks and blemishes. Body panels are all in very good shape (boot and bonnet are aligned with good gaps - doors both have gaps at the bottom and need some adjustment). Both doors close with a solid "thunk". Transmission was recently overhauled by Healey Surgeons and works perfectly (as does the overdrive). Engine compression is fine, a little hard to start but when it warms up will restart almost instantly when starter button is pushed. Engine number and body number match. Transmission is from a later car but is the correct side shifter and not a center unit. Interior (vinyl not leather) is in very good shape with some wear showing on the sides of the seats. Carpet is still in good shape. Other interior panels will need a little stronger glue to tighten up and put back down but otherwise in good shape.
So here's the dilemma. It's really time for me to make a decision on a repaint. I can (option 1) remove the interior and other bits and pieces and repaint. Or....( option 2) I can dive much, much deeper into it, and do a true body off restoration. Certainly option 1 is easier and less expensive and the results would be visually pleasing from the outside. But option 2 would (hopefully) leave me with a true concours car (at least that's the plan!).
At issue here is the resulting cost vs. value at the end of either process as well as the difference in the degree of difficulty between those two options. Having never done a body off restoration I have no idea what costs I am exposing myself to with this undertaking. That said what is the "true" value of a concours 1959 100-6 BN6? I can look at the different price "guides" like Hagerty all day but I'm not sure how those apply to the real world. I don't want to be too far upside down at the end of the process but I do recognize that I should not go into this with profit as motivation (and I certainly don't have any plans to sell this car regardless of which option I choose.)
So there you are..... What would you do if you were me?
All advice and comments are welcomed!
Chet